Once the free agent market in the NBA officially opens, the top two players available as unrestricted free agents will be Dwight Howard of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul. Both players will be available to the highest bidder with the consensus being that they’ll re-sign with their current teams.

Although Paul’s free agent status has attracted a lot of attention with the perennial All-Star potentially heading elsewhere, it seems much more likely that Howard signs with another team over returning to the Lakers with a five-year deal.

The Lakers and Clippers have the advantage of being able to sign Howard and Paul for much more than any other team. Howard can make $30 million more with the Lakers than any other team speculated to be interested in his services come July 1.

As of right now, it appears Howard has drawn considerable interest from the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors. All three of these teams bring different opportunities for the superstar center with a lot less pressure in terms of winning and winning now.

One of the main reasons people believe Howard won’t return is the tremendous pressure to win and all the criticism that comes along with failing to live up to expectations in the city of Los Angeles while playing for one of the most successful sports franchises in this country.

Another player on the Lakers that has an uncertain future moving forward is two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol. Although Gasol may be traded or amnestied before next season, the Spaniard has been optimistic to say the least and making no waves in the process.

Gasol was recently asked about Howard’s indecision in terms of returning to the Lakers, but doesn’t blame the three-time Defensive Player of the Year for doing so. Gasol believes there’s no harm in thinking about a decision that could be the biggest choice of his life, but also says the Lakers need to know as soon as possible in order to plan for the immediate future.

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